Dead Space is gold for Extraction

The Wii exclusive Dead Space Extraction, the on-rails prequel to last year's Aliens/Event Horizon inspired scifi thriller, has gone gold and will launch September 29th. There is a lot of positive buzz surounding this game and, like Conduit, it's being fielded as one of those games that will either make or break big publishers' perception of Wii as something more than a baby toy.

Personally I just can't get past the on-rails aspect--it soured my anticipation for the game the minute I heard about it. I can tell that the developers at Visceral Games are very proud of the game and how it fleshes out the Dead Space story, but at the same time I feel like Wii players are being considered too thick to handle a true third-person survival horror game. We've already gotten one Resident Evil rail shooter with another on the way, and those were made expressly because the developers thought Wii owners didn't have the skill/attention span for deeper games.

Redwood City, CA – September 2, 2009 – Visceral Games™, an award-winning studio of Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS) announced today that Dead Space™ Extraction, the prequel to last year’s critically-acclaimed Dead Space, has gone gold. Recently nominated for a “Best of Show – Wii™” award by IGN.com at the Gamescom trade show in Germany, Dead Space Extraction brings the series’ signature action-horror to an all new game, on an all-new platform. Dead Space Extraction is designed from the ground up for Wii™ and will hit stores nationwide on September 29.

Gamers who pre-order at participating retailers will receive a special code that unlocks four of the game’s 10 unique challenge modes*. These intense, pulse-pounding difficulty levels pit players alone, or co-operatively with a friend against the Necromorph horde, competing for high scores and stylish kills. Players who do not pre-order the game must play through each chapter to earn and unlock the challenge modes.

Nintendo of America Vice President of Licensing, Steve Singer said, "We are excited that Visceral Games is bringing the next installment of the Dead Space franchise to Wii. Dead Space Extraction is shaping up to be an outstanding game and this high-quality, mature title will be a great addition to the Wii line up.”

Dead Space fans can play the game this weekend at Penny Arcade Expo in Seattle, WA from September 4th – 7th. Gamers that come by the EA booth (#432) will be among the first to experience the terror.

Dead Space Extraction tells the story of four space colonists stranded on the Aegis VII mining colony in the furthest regions of deep space. The game introduces Lexine, an important new heroine to the Dead Space universe. As the crew fall victim to a mysterious contagion aboard the ship, it quickly becomes clear that protecting Lexine is their only hope for survival. The game features the highly polished, cinematic action experience that the Visceral Games team is known for.